


The Pirate, The Professor, And The Ruin Of The Empire

by Skitty_Kat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Captain!Lupin, Fears of piratical ravishing, Inventor!Snape, Kidnapping, M/M, Sky Pirates, Snape doth protest too much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 16:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2474606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skitty_Kat/pseuds/Skitty_Kat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Britain is in the grip of the Emperor, while the rightful ruler Lord Albus hides in exile in Scotland. Small bands of pirates form some opposition but it’s going to take a spectacular strike to bring the Empire down for good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pirate, The Professor, And The Ruin Of The Empire

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to drachenmina for the fabulous beta.
> 
> Fantasy Fest entry on lupin_snape, from this prompt: _Steampunk universe. R is an airship pirate. S is a scientist/inventor. S is kidnapped by R's crew. Love/hate relationship forms between R and S. S ends up helping R's crew escape capture from "evil empire of doom". Bonus if S joins with the crew in the end._

The Imperial airships drifted slowly across the darkening skies, their engines reduced to faint drones by distance. The clouds behind them were tinged pink, catching the last glimmers of the dying sun. There was the occasional rumble of an engine as a car rolled past, its brass valves hissing, but it was otherwise quiet around the Imperial Palace. Dark domes rose against the sky while lamps were being lit under the ornate arches. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style, the palace was an imposing tribute to the wealth of those that ran the Empire. To those who lacked that wealth, it was an obvious target.

Captain Remus Lupin, along with the most trusted and – more importantly – most sneaky members of his crew, was crawling on his belly through the tall grass that bounded the palace gardens. Faint rustlings to his sides and back were the only clues that his men were still with him. A cricket chirped briefly in front of his nose before springing away. An owl floated over them; a real one, not one of the whirring clockwork ones the Royal Post used to carry letters.

Finally reaching the edge of the long grass Remus found himself behind a sweetly-scented japonica bush, only the neatly-trimmed lawn stretching between him and the palace itself. The bush suddenly shook beside him and his first mate, Sirius Black, crawled through.

‘Kingsley says there’s one guard by the western corner,’ he whispered, ‘and also that he can take him down with no problem.’

Remus nodded. ‘Have him take the guard’s position as discussed. They don’t change until midnight so he shouldn’t be noticed.’

Sirius acknowledged this and disappeared again. Moments later Remus made out the bulky silhouette of Kingsley Shacklebolt against the ornamental hedge before the man was lost again in the growing gloom. As expected, Remus heard nothing above the ensemble of crickets playing nearby but soon Sirius was back with the confirmation that it had all gone smoothly. They followed Kingsley’s route, pressing close to the privet until they were under the elaborate stone arches that formed the outside of the palace. A pillar provided a useful cover while Sirius expertly jimmied open a window and then the two men were inside the Imperial Palace.

‘How the other half lives,’ Remus murmured, eyes adjusting the darkness inside.

The room was incredibly ornate, the merest glimmer of light from outside reflecting from a myriad of mirrors and polished gilt. Everything shone, even the fabrics. Sirius whistled lowly.

‘Even my mother’s house can’t compete with this,’ he said quietly. ‘Do you think they’ll notice if we pinch anything?’

‘We don’t have the time,’ Remus warned, though he eyed the objects in the room hungrily, ‘or the carrying capacity if we’re going to make our plan work.’ He opened the door a crack, checking the corridor beyond it. ‘Come on.’

Their objective was next door to the room they had chosen to enter by. The information they had obtained indicated that it was possible to enter the room of their target by way of a concealed door between the two. The door was easily found, despite being concealed as part of the wallpaper. Remus bent to squint through the keyhole, only to be met with darkness. He was just going to have to chance it.

‘Find something to conceal him in once we’ve got him,’ he muttered to Sirius before taking a firm grasp on the doorhandle.

It opened outwards and, to his relief, behind a tapestry. He slipped through and pulled the door mostly shut behind him, hoping Sirius wouldn’t make too much noise at his task. He peered around the edge of the tapestry to find himself in a magnificent workroom. Inventions, both completed and not, filled the room, littered across polished wooden benches. The lighting was dim, emanating only from two oil lamps which both sat on the central workbench. Across the bench lay a mechanical snake, her interior workings partly exposed as nimble fingers teased a spring back into place inside her.

Remus had his first view of Professor Severus Snape, the Emperor’s favourite inventor, and was struck breathless at what he saw.

The man’s dark eyelashes were curved downwards as Snape concentrated on the task in his hands. A tiny screwdriver balanced between his slender fingers as he made minute adjustments, twisting even smaller screws into place. Brass scales, each only half the size of a man’s smallest fingernail, were expertly fixed into place until the exterior was as smooth as it ever had been. If not for the fact that he had previously seen the mechanical interior with all its pistons and valves Remus would have believed it to be a real snake lying asleep across the workbench. The silver scales were lent warmth by the oil lamp nearby; the same gleam reflected in the sharp eyes that were examining the creature for any mistake in the workmanship. Apparently satisfied, Snape stroked one finger down the back of the snake’s head. A hiss of steam escaped from the open mouth and emerald eyes – probably real emeralds, Remus decided, enthralled by the sight – were suddenly illuminated from within. The snake’s head rose to stare at Snape, who stared calmly back. His fingers made a final examination of the scales, smoothing them into place, before he lifted the creature from the bench and placed her on the floor. She shimmied her body in one long ripple before sliding off in the direction of the door. The hissing and clicking were barely audible now and she barely made a clatter as metal scales slid across marble floor.

‘Do try not to get under Crabbe’s feet again,’ Professor Snape called after her.

The snake failed to even raise her head in acknowledgement, vanishing instead down the corridor.

‘Stupid contraption,’ muttered Snape, packing his screwdrivers away into a neat case and lining them up carefully in size order. ‘Then again, machines are only as stupid as the men who program them…’

Remus was fascinated, listening to the man’s husky voice and watching him move easily around what was obviously a very familiar room. The captain could appreciate genius and capability when he saw it. The workroom itself was a madman’s design of polished wood, gleaming brass and tortured glass. What looked to be a dozen different inventions overlapped each other in the corner, one creation’s pistons spilling into the cogs of another. Wires stretched between two devices that Remus was sure couldn’t be related. He slipped out from his hiding place while the professor’s back was turned and drew closer to the man on silent feet, cat-like in his tread. He had pulled the cloth and bottle from his pockets, readying for the pounce. Snape was studying an array of levers on the wall. All of them seemed to be part of an enormous device, the purpose of which Remus could not fathom. He crept closer, only to suddenly realise that his reflection was clearly visible in front of the professor.

Their eyes met in the polished brass of the device and Remus cursed inwardly. Snape’s eyes narrowed and his hand darted towards the worktable before him but Remus was already moving. He grabbed Snape from behind, one arm curling around the thin torso and the other bringing the draught-infused cloth to the professor’s face. Snape thrashed in Remus’s grip, the chisel he had snatched from the worktable clattering to the floor as his fingers lost control. The sleeping draught worked quickly, reducing the professor to violent twitching before he finally slumped unconscious in Remus’s hold. Remus kept the cloth in place a little longer to make sure, holding the limp body against his chest. Finally convinced that Snape could not possibly be shamming Remus manoeuvred him easily over one shoulder and crept out with him to where he had left Sirius.

‘What on earth is that?’ he asked, seeing the length of fabric in Sirius’s hands.

‘A carpet.’ Sirius shrugged. ‘Only thing I could find to wrap him up in.’

Remus rolled his eyes and began laying the insensible body out on the provided drapery, wrapping him like a sausage. Soon he and Sirius had Snape slung between them, looking for all the world like a piece of the furnishings. That part of the mission accomplished they hurried out, hauling the professor none too gently through the tight fit of the window frame. Kingsley was still in his position, his hat tilted low over his eyes. He grinned when he saw them, teeth flashing as he lent a hand to their burden. Soon they were creeping back through the garden, near invisible among the shadows.

 

Once they were back on ship and some way from the palace Remus assigned Sirius the task of awakening their ‘guest,’ which inevitably meant a call of ‘wake up, sleeping beauty’ and the dumping of half a pail of water over the unconscious man. The professor responded as could be expected: spluttering into reluctant wakefulness which quickly morphed into alarmed fury on seeing unfamiliar surroundings and finding manacles on his wrists. In fact he let loose with quite the torrent of invectives that should never have passed the lips of a gentleman, finishing with: ‘where in the Devil’s own hell am I and what manner of blackguards are you?’

Remus, despite his piratical profession, considered himself a polite sort of fellow and found himself quite taken aback by the vehemence of the man’s tirade.

‘If you asked with a more civil tongue you might find yourself furnished with an answer,’ he said calmly.

There was a snicker from one of the crew; probably Seamus, who had too much of a sense of humour at times. The captive’s eyes narrowed, focusing his fury on Remus.

‘If I had a more civil awakening,’ he spat, ‘I would be more inclined to think I was in the company of decent people. As it is, I can only assume you were all born in barns and brought up in muck.’

Sirius made a scoffing noise. ‘Like the factory slums you’re from?’ They had looked into Snape’s background as preparation for the mission and had been surprised to find him none too different from some of themselves. As a boy Snape had worked in the carpet mill in his home town, one of the boys who ran under the huge presses to remove any stray fluff and dirt before the heavy weights came crashing down. There were only two types of fluff-picker: the quick and the flat.

Snape’s black eyes turned their intense glare onto Sirius, studying him like some particularly distasteful sample under a microscope. A smirk slowly twisted the side of his mouth.

‘At least,’ he said in a silky voice quite different to his earlier enraged shouting, ‘I wasn’t so afraid of my own mother that I had to run away from home, _Black_. What’s there to be so scared of in an old woman?’

Seeing the almost apoplectic look on Sirius’s face, and knowing the man’s feelings about his family, Remus decided to intervene before the situation got nastier. Perhaps Snape would be easier to deal with alone, and after he’d had some time to calm down.

‘Take him to the brig,’ Remus ordered. ‘Maybe he’ll find his good manners in there.’

The professor let loose with more cursing as Neville, probably the most well-meaning of the crew if unfortunately the clumsiest, and Kingsley hauled him to his feet and manhandled him below decks. Looking over to his first mate, Remus wasn’t sure he liked the triumphant grin on Sirius’s face.

‘Do try not to let him goad you into murder, will you?’ he said casually. ‘It’d be an awful shame to have gone to all this trouble for nothing.’

‘If he watches his tongue,’ Sirius returned, ‘then I’ll watch my fists.’

 

There was something in the professor’s hands when Remus went down to see him some time later, and his dark brows were furrowed in concentration as he examined the object. As he heard Remus’s approach there was a quiet snap and the item was tucked back inside the man’s shirt. His head came up as Remus unlocked the door, eyes unreadable holes in that pale face.

‘Good afternoon,’ said Remus cordially.

‘Is it?’ Professor Snape’s tone was acerbic and Remus inwardly sighed. ‘I’m afraid I haven’t been granted much of a chance to appreciate it.’

‘I see your mood is no better,’ Remus commented.

That got him as sour a look as he had ever received, and that included those of his schoolmasters when Sirius had dragged him into the commission of some questionably ‘brilliant’ prank.

‘Forgive me, but when one is snatched from one’s workroom in the middle of the night by what I can only describe as despicable ruffians using an utterly substandard sleeping draught one is not generally disposed to good humour on waking. Particularly when that waking finds one in the most uncomfortable chains and undesirable company.’

Remus raised an eyebrow. ‘Substandard sleeping draught?’

‘Quite. Far too heavy on the wormwood. My mouth feels like a desert.’

‘Allow me to get you something to aid that.’ Remus went over to the door. ‘Ron, be so kind as to fetch some water.’ There was a muttered assent from the young man guarding the other side, though it sounded reluctant. Remus did hope that the boy wouldn’t do anything as uncouth as spitting in it (or worse).

‘I hope you aren’t expecting me to be overcome with gratitude,’ sniped the man behind him.

Remus worked hard to keep a pleasant smile on his face before turning back around. ‘Well,’ he said airily, ‘it wouldn’t do to have you die on us just yet, would it?’ He was disappointed when Snape failed to look suitably fearful.

‘If you are endeavouring to threaten me,’ said Snape smugly, ‘then you’re doing a piss-poor job of it. You wouldn’t have taken so much care in abducting me just to let me die once you got me onboard.’

‘There’s nothing to say we have to keep you comfortable though,’ Remus said harshly. The man was really grating on his nerves.

‘Goodness, I am terrified.’ Snape’s tone was flat and bored. ‘How long will it be before you ask them for the ransom and take me back?’

‘Ransom? Who said anything about a ransom? We aren’t doing this for the money, believe it or not. We prefer to … pull a cog from the Empire’s machine to see it falter, I suppose.’

Remus leaned back against the door as he spoke; watching curiously as Snape suddenly lost his composure and yanked on his chains.

‘What? You fool; you have to get me back there! I don’t have time for this!’ Tendons stood out against Snape’s neck as he tried futilely to tug the heavy chains from where they were attached to the bulkhead.

Remus was taken aback by the unexpected fury. He forced himself not to show it, however, and maintained a steady gaze. Snape was fortunately exhausted before he could cause any serious injury to himself, slumping back against the planks with anger still boiling his eyes. Ron chose this moment to return with a mug of water, which he set just out of Snape’s reach and scurried off. Remus rolled his eyes and nudged the tin mug closer with his foot.

‘Don’t bother wasting it with any futile gestures of defiance,’ he warned, ‘you won’t be getting any more today. I might be inclined to bring you more when you are inclined to be civil.’

He was sure he could feel Snape’s gaze burning into his back as he left but had given up on minding at that point. The man was just too much hard work after a night spent evading the Imperial guards. Remus could understand some of it, he supposed, but did the man have to be quite so stubborn?

Well, he thought grimly, it’s a long flight back to Hogwarts. Two can play at that game.

:::

‘Why are you such a miserable git, Snape?’

Remus stopped at the door on hearing Sirius’s voice, deciding to lurk outside the hold to see how the situation played out before interfering. It had been some hours since they had left the palace and Snape had been vehemently insisting he be returned home as soon as possible while remaining frustratingly close-mouthed about his reasons why, though he emphasised repeatedly that it was of utmost importance every time Remus tried to talk to him. While it was not strictly necessary for their plan to know his, Remus was becoming vexed as his own friendly overtures were rebuffed so abruptly. Let Snape get the interrogation from someone else – Sirius was certainly notable for being able to irritate people until they gave in.

‘Forgive me for being a tad tetchy,’ Snape said, his voice awash with sarcasm, ‘but I tend to take exception at being kidnapped.’

Sirius snorted. ‘A grown man like yourself,’ he mimicked Snape’s tone mockingly, ‘should realise that he will just have to accept that fact rather than throwing a temper tantrum like a petulant child.’

Remus peered through the small window set in the door. Sirius was crouched in front of the seated professor. Even in the dim light Remus could see Snape was glaring.

‘As a grown man,’ he shot back, ‘I have more important things to do than sit around in chains at the whim of a rabble of pirates.’

‘Important work for your Imperial masters?’

‘Perhaps I’m just eager to inform your dear mother where she can find her sadly wayward son.’

‘You -!’ Sirius leapt to his feet, towering over the other man.

Snape smirked. ‘And you say I’m irascible. You may wish to learn control of yourself, Black.’

Sirius, his fists clenched and breathing heavily through his nose, held himself back with a very visible effort. ‘What are you so anxious to get back for, Snape?’ he growled, looming over the chained man.

‘I don’t see how that is any of your business,’ said Snape softly.

‘I’m making it my business.’ Sirius’s hand smacked against the bulkhead at Snape’s back as he bent over the professor. ‘For starters, what’s that thing Remus says you keep fiddling with?’ His other hand darted to Snape’s shirtfront and was pulling at the object he found there before the professor could raise his own manacle-encumbered hands to stop him.

‘A watch?’ Sirius tugged at it, stretching the chain taut around Snape’s neck where it had been hanging. ‘Tick tock, tick tock, time’s a-passing, is that what you’re getting twitchy about?’

There was a sudden sound: flesh hitting flesh. Remus looked up in alarm to see Sirius standing bolt upright with one hand holding onto the other, having presumably just been slapped. Snape was still seated on the floor, arms curled in on himself as he tucked the watch back against the safety of his chest. His eyes were burning as he glared up at Sirius.

‘Get your filthy hands off what isn’t yours,’ he growled in a low, furious tone.

Remus managed to fumble the door open as Sirius took a menacing step forward with his hand raised.

‘Sirius!’ he barked. ‘Back on deck!’

Sirius stayed where he was for a moment, eyes fixed angrily on Snape, but he obeyed his captain’s orders and stormed out of the hold, brushing past Remus as he did so. Remus gave Snape one last look, catching the gleaming stare and returning it with one that was vaguely apologetic, before shutting the door and letting Sirius lock it.

‘I could have got it out of him,’ Sirius insisted as they headed up the corridor. He was fidgeting restless as he walked, tapping one hand along the wall.

‘Not by cruelty,’ Remus responded calmly, ‘and besides, I don’t think you would have. Not with him.’

Sirius gave him an odd, sideways look. He had known Remus since school, knew him probably too well in Remus’s opinion. The captain found himself almost squirming under the inspection.

‘What?’

Sirius half-sneered, somehow combining it with something to look horrified. ‘You don’t, you know, like him or something, do you?’

Remus stopped abruptly, gaping at Sirius’s back. ‘What? Where on God’s green earth did you get that impression from?’

‘Oh, “not with him,”’ Sirius turned, doing an exaggerated, hand-flapping repetition of Remus’s earlier utterance. ‘Do you think he’s that special?’

‘He’s … interesting. Different. Not like any of you lot, that’s for certain.’

Sirius scowled. ‘Don’t forget he’s one of them,’ he warned. ‘He’s not our guest, he’s our prisoner. And if I want to know his little secret, I will.’

He stalked off up the corridor, swinging himself back up on deck before Remus moved again. The captain eventually sighed and followed, knowing how hot and cold his first mate went at times. He joined Sirius at the rail, where they both stared at the fields passing below. A crazy quilt of jagged hedgerows divided the countryside they soared over. Remus followed the pattern with a lazy gaze and occasionally flicked his eyes up to glance at Sirius, who glowered at the transitory clouds that drifted past.

‘It doesn’t really matter what he’s worried about,’ Remus said. ‘We’ll just hand him over to Lord Albus as we planned and carry on like usual.’

‘Give him a nice surprise,’ Sirius agreed grudgingly. ‘It’s not everyday that you get one of the Emperor’s top men dropped on your doorstep with a ribbon wrapped round him, even if you are the rightful leader of Great Britain.’

‘Exactly.’ Remus smiled. ‘It might not bring down the Empire but it might put a smile on the old man’s face.’

‘A calculating smile as he figures out exactly how to put it to his best advantage, you mean.’

They looked at each other and chuckled, Remus nodding his agreement. Regrettably, their happiness wasn’t to last.

‘Captain!’ Ron yelled down from his position in the rigging. ‘We’ve got incoming Empire ships, two of ‘em!’

‘Damn! How soon will they be on us?’

‘Um …’ Ron muttered to himself for a moment. ‘Allowing for airspeed velocity and probable load-bearing capacity … that makes it a question of weight ratios…’

‘That new lady friend of his,’ Sirius muttered to Remus while Ron considered the question, ‘has really set him to improving himself intellectually.’

‘I reckon,’ said Ron, a look of panic suddenly striking him, ‘that they should be within range right about … now.’

A cannonball whistled through the air, narrowly missing Remus and Sirius as they ducked, and arced over the side of the _Gay Wolf_. The next one had better aim, clipping the ship’s rail and carrying a chunk of it away. The two Imperial ships came up fast, their artillery already firing a barrage. The _Gay Wolf_ was soon battered back and forth by the concussive forces being hurled at her.

Remus could hear planks splintering in the side of his ship and cursed. If they’d gone through the sides – his heart thumped as he remembered what was in the hold.

‘Get those cannons going!’ he ordered. ‘See them off! Sirius, get this rabble organised!’

He dived for the hatchway, leaving the crew in the first mate’s hands. The boat lurched as another impact swung it on its ropes. Remus stumbled down the gangway, bouncing against the walls and only just managing to stay on his feet. The door to the hold was still in one piece and, as Remus reached it and tugged desperately, still locked.

‘Hell’s damnation,’ he spat, fumbling in his pocket and remembering he’d given the key to Sirius earlier.

Too much light was visible through the small barred window in the door. He pressed close even as the swaying ship nearly threw him from his feet, seeing a large hole in the planks though which the sky was a bright glow. Frantically peering around the hold he made out Snape beside a still-whole section of the hull, tugging wildly at the chains that held him fast to it. The ship yawed sharply, knocking Snape from his feet and sending him skidding towards the hole. Only the chains on his wrists prevented him from tumbling out of the yawning gap. He scrambled to his feet, but the ship was shuddering violently and pitched him to the floor again.

‘Hang on!’ Remus yelled.

He drew his pistol awkwardly, one hand anchoring him against the ship’s tremors, and shot the lock off the door. It swung open instantly, almost sending him plunging into oblivion. He hung on until the ship righted herself again then hurried over to where Snape was. He wedged himself against the bulkhead, pulling the key out from under his shirt where it dangled on its chain. Snape eyed it hungrily as Remus grabbed his wrist to unlock the manacle.

‘You’d better behave,’ Remus threatened, ‘I’m only doing this to save your life.’

‘Such noble intentions from a pirate,’ Snape drawled, ‘I may swoon.’

Another impact hit the ship, tipping Snape from his recently-regained poise and landing him against Remus. Remus could only grab the man closer as the ship rolled. At Snape’s sudden smirk Remus realised that the part of the man he had blindly gripped was perhaps not the most socially acceptable place to hold.

‘Or maybe not such noble intentions,’ Snape muttered, his own hand batting at Remus’s where it held onto his buttocks.

Remus flushed, yanking his hand away and hurriedly working at the locks again. The first one clicked open and he yanked it from the thin wrist. The ship rolled again but Snape gripped the bulkhead with his now-free hand to hold them in place. A few moments later and the other manacle was off and clattering to the heaving deck.

‘Come on.’ Remus pulled them both to their feet. ‘Let’s see what these idiots are doing to my ship.’ Stumbling, he hurried across to the wildly-swinging door.

‘Blowing holes in it, it would seem,’ Snape drawled, following.

They staggered up on deck together, gripping rails and rigging as the boat continued to pitch and toss. Thankfully the great steel lines that held the ship to its gasbag remained firm but wreckage was strewn across the deck.

‘What the dickens is going on?’ demanded Remus.

‘We’re getting creamed, cap’n!’ yelped a white-faced Ron Weasley.

‘It’s not good, captain,’ agreed Kingsley solemnly. ‘There’s two of their ships and they’ve got better firepower.’

A series of booms signified another round of cannonfire. The _Gay Wolf_ shuddered horribly, jerking back and forth on her hawsers. Remus was almost thrown from his feet clear down the deck but found himself suddenly brought up short. He looked back to see an impassive Snape gripping the ship’s rail with one hand and the back of Remus’s shirt with the other. Sirius skidded across the deck as the ship righted herself again and dropped down beside the others.

‘This is ridiculous!’ he yelled. ‘I don’t know how but they’re reloading at least twice as fast as we can!’

‘How many men can they have working their cannons? Surely that would be too heavy for their ships to stay airborne…’

‘We’re going to get creamed!’

A quiet voice cut across their shouting. ‘They’re using Gambol’s clockwork cannons. Quite revolutionary – an almost entirely automated system. Loading, cleaning, firing; all more or less taken of.’ Snape smirked at them. ‘Of course, they still require a man to operate them by lever – one man for the entire row. He’s probably located,’ he raised his head briefly, examined the Imperial ship closest to them and ducked back down again, ‘there towards the stern on the port side. There’s a spyhole there. You could probably take him out with one good shot, and the mechanism too if you hit it hard enough.’

They all stared at him with various expressions of disbelief. Remus stroked his chin thoughtfully.

‘Oh no,’ Sirius cut in, ‘we can’t trust him. He’s one of them!’

‘Noted,’ said Remus slowly. ‘Professor, why would you be helping us?’

‘I’d rather not die, just yet.’

Remus shrugged. ‘A fair point. I suppose we aren’t doing any better by ourselves. Sirius, get down and get a cannon aimed at each ship at exactly the spot the professor pointed out. Kingsley, get the others primed to take out their rudders as soon as their defences are disabled. Mundungus!’ he barked at the man at the wheel. ‘Get her right in between those two and hold her steady!’

‘And me, captain?’

Remus blinked, apparently having forgotten Ron was still there. ‘You keep an eye on Professor Snape. I’m going below to co-ordinate the cannons.’

Ron immediately fixed Snape with a nauseating squint, which was presumably intended to be threatening. Snape returned it with a far more intimidating scowl of his own, to which Ron tried not to look like he was quaking in his boots. Remus hurried below decks. Sirius and Kingsley were already busying themselves with the arrangements. Remus stationed himself beside a cannon port, peering out at the Imperial ship there through a brass telescope. It was swinging closer and he was sure he could see the cannons loading up. He could make out the spyhole Snape had referred to: a small dark dot among smooth planks.

‘Three feet to the left of the first cannon port,’ he advised, ‘a foot or so higher.’

Sirius had seen it too, scowling even as he pointed it out on each ship to Seamus and Bill, who were manning the furthest-back cannons on each side.

‘Ready, captain!’ Sirius called.

‘Ready here too, captain,’ Kingsley boomed from further forward.

Remus peered out again. The cannonballs were going in…

‘Seamus, Bill,’ he commanded, ‘fire when ready. The rest of you, await my signal.’

Two booms sounded in quick succession, deafening in the compact space below decks. The cannons jerked backwards against their ropes while smoke and shouting filled the lower deck. Seamus, never the quickest at getting out of the way, had been knocked to the floor with the recoil but Remus ignored him in favour of keeping his eyes on the Imperial ship that flew alongside. She had mostly evaded their shots so far but with careful targeting and Remus’s strict command she stood no chance.

The _Wolf’s_ cannonball ripped through the wooden planks, filling the air with splinters as it carved a hole in the other’s side. Remus, watching through his telescope, saw the tangles of metal as the other ship’s guts were exposed. A quick look across to Sirius indicated that the other side had been equally efficacious.

‘Open fire!’ yelled Remus, eager to capitalise on the success. ‘All weapons!’

Thunderous booms reverberated through the entire ship and all possible thoughts were lost to noise.

 

The _Gay Wolf_ made her escape easily after that, leaving the two Imperial ships crippled and weaponless. Remus watched from the stern as the airships dwindled into dots quite incapable of pursuit. He looked up as Snape came to lean against the rail next to him.

‘Not going to thank me?’ the professor asked.

‘I haven’t quite figured your motives yet,’ said Remus. ‘But as far as I can tell you did do us a favour, so thank you for that.’

There was a snort as Sirius joined them, hopping up to sit on the rail.

‘Well, I have no questions about his motives,’ he announced, ‘I don’t trust him. Isn’t it time we locked him back up in the hold like you’re meant to do with scum like him?’

‘The hold has a rather large hole in it currently,’ Remus informed him, ‘which makes it a bit too draughty to keep somebody in.’

‘He’ll have to hang on tight to something and hope he doesn’t fall out.’

‘Do try to remember that you are a gentleman, Sirius, and to treat people accordingly.’

‘You’ve not met what passes for a gentleman these days, captain,’ commented Snape, ‘especially the circles he springs from.’

Sirius jumped down off the rail, only for Remus to clamp a hand on his shoulder in restraint.

‘I warned you -!’

‘Tsk, Black, you really do make it too easy.’

Remus sighed. ‘I should hang you both over the sides by your ankles for the rest of the journey. Sirius, go and help shore up the damage. We’ll have to make for the nearest port. Professor, if you’ll come with me.’

Snape followed without a murmur, though his glance back at Black promised horrible things. Remus led him below decks again. They didn’t go as far as the hold, stopping instead at Remus’s own door. He opened it, gesturing for the professor to precede him in.

Snape regarded Remus’s homely cabin with a sneer. ‘What are you going to do: manacle me to your bed?’

‘I was hoping we could dispense with the manacles actually, if you’re inclined to be a little more co-operative.’ Remus regarded Snape quizzically. ‘Unless you’re trying to intimate that you actually want…’

‘Heavens above, no!’ snapped Snape, his head swinging round to glare at Remus. ‘I … that is … well, you’re a bunch of pirates and one hears things … and you’ve just moved me into your cabin…’

Remus almost laughed at the flustered expression. ‘This is the only cabin aboard the ship with a lock. I only hope that you will be enough of a gentleman not to vandalise it.’

Snape regained some of his composure, lifting his chin haughtily. ‘I believe you have investigated my background, captain. I am decidedly not a gentleman.’

‘I believe the measure of a gentleman does not lie in his inheritance.’

‘Spoken with the confidence of a man who has never had to negotiate the Emperor’s court.’

Remus couldn’t help but chuckle, and even Snape’s lips twitched.

‘Oh dear, are they that bad?’

‘His court is composed mainly of the most inbred aristocrats Britain can offer. You’ve never seen so many teeth and so few chins.’

Unable to help himself, Remus laughed out loud. Snape smirked and crossed the cabin to settle on the edge of the bunk. 

‘I don’t know,’ Remus said eventually, ‘I have met members of Sirius’s family.’

‘Same people.’ Snape sighed, pushing long strands of hair out of his face. His sleeve fell back, revealing a ring of red and irritated skin around his wrist.

Remus let out a sound and caught Snape’s wrist, bringing it close to examine it. ‘From the manacles?’ He brushed a gentle finger over the abraded skin, tightening his grip and Snape tried to pull away. ‘I’m sorry. Here, let me – I’ve got something for that.’

He let go, going over to a drawer to take out some cream before dragging an old three-legged stool over to where Snape sat. This time Snape gave his hand willingly, letting Remus have first one then the other to carefully rub the cream in. Eventually the ministrations were done and Remus was left holding the long fingers within his own.

‘Are you finished?’ Snape said abruptly, yanking his hand back. ‘I have no wish for some _romantic_ moment in which we sit hands entangled and gazing into each other’s eyes like … no, I won’t have it! Keep your filthy piratical intentions far away from me!’

Remus snorted, standing from his stool. ‘I think you spend a lot of time thinking about the company of men for someone protesting so vehemently about it.’

Snape glared at him. ‘Don’t you have a crew to shout at, captain?’

 

The damage was worse than Remus had thought. They would have to make for port immediately and hope that they got there before the poor _Wolf_ gave up completely. And they weren’t even half-way to Hogwarts yet! Leaving the crew to do what they could for now, Remus called an emergency confabulation with Sirius and Kingsley in his cabin. Snape lurked in a corner, watching the discussion with shadowed eyes.

‘She’s not going to hold out to get us to Hogwarts, captain,’ said Kingsley, looking apologetic, ‘not without some serious repairs.’

Remus nodded. ‘How far do you think she can get us?’

Kingsley gave a shrug. ‘Maybe Birmingham, if we turn back now.’

‘Can’t we continue on?’

‘Only small ports between here and as far as we can get, captain. Too much chance of being noticed in a small port.’

‘Damn it!’ Remus slammed his fist down on the rickety table. ‘We can’t take the chance that more of them might be following us. We can’t lead them back to Hogwarts!’

Sirius and Kingsley exchanged glances, the latter smoothing a hand over his shaven scalp.

‘We’re going to have to leave the _Wolf_ somewhere for repairs anyway, captain,’ he rumbled. ‘They won’t have the same ship to follow, at any rate.’

‘It’s more than likely they’ve got spies in the ports watching anything travelling North,’ said Remus gloomily.

‘Then don’t go North. Go straight back to the Palace.’

All three turned to stare at the previously-silent figure in the corner. Snape was perched on a barrel in lieu of any free chairs, crossing his legs and appearing quite unconcerned by the astonished looks he had just garnered.

‘Of course, you’d want that,’ Sirius sneered. ‘You want to go back to your friends and despicable Imperialist lifestyle.’

Snape favoured him with a withering glare before pushing to his feet and strolling to join them at the table. ‘It would certainly be the last thing they’d expect.’

‘Mice don’t usually march voluntarily into the serpent’s jaws,’ said Kingsley, though it was unclear who he was agreeing with.

‘But it doesn’t seem to benefit anybody but you,’ Remus pointed out.

Snape drew out the pocket watch that hung around his neck, flicking it open. Several silver hands gleamed against the face, the smallest of which moved at a speed one would have thought too fast for clockwork. Another hand moved erratically backwards and forwards, at times even appearing to pass through other hands in its progress. All in all, thought Remus, a most peculiar and eccentric timepiece. Snape studied it for a moment, making minute adjustments with one of the knobs.

‘You want to make a strike against the Empire,’ he said softly, ‘and if we get back there within the next … hmm … five hours we can do just that. There is … something that I have been preparing for quite some time.’

Sirius scoffed. ‘You expect us to believe you’ve been working against Riddle and his cronies this whole time?’

Snape shrugged. ‘Believe what you like,’ he said, turning the pocket watch towards them and displaying the inscription inside the case.

_APWBD, from GG._

‘Lord Albus?’ Remus said eventually.

Snape nodded. ‘I realised you couldn’t be working under his direct orders – he wouldn’t have pulled me out this close, not now. If you don’t get me back there, you’ve royally stuffed up a lot of careful work and he really won’t be happy.’

‘How long have you been working for Lord Albus?’

‘…’ Snape stared at the watch pensively. ‘Years.’

‘Balderdash!’ Sirius snapped. ‘You’re one of the Emperor’s closest men.’

‘And it has taken me years to achieve that.’

‘You’re responsible for creating some of his worst tools. The mechanical policemen – those awful clockwork coppers who just won’t give up the hunt!’

‘Yes,’ Snape smirked. ‘Scores of men who can’t be killed, don’t need to stop to sleep or eat, _and who can all quite easily be under my complete control_.’

A chuckle came from Kingsley. ‘I think, professor, I am getting a glimmer of what might happen here,’ he said.

Remus sighed. ‘So we head for Birmingham,’ he declared, ‘and we see what assistance we can find there.’

 

The smoke clung thickly around Birmingham as the _Gay Wolf_ limped down towards the city. Now Britain’s largest land-locked port, Birmingham was second only to London for activity and industry. The city had thrived since the introduction of the airships, combining them with the railways and canals to form a busy transport hub.

The _Wolf_ drifted slowly over the shouts of market traders in the Bull Ring and the bustle of the busy city to finally dock among the other ships at Five Ways, the main airship interchange for the city. Among so many ships the _Wolf_ slipped unnoticed, settling under the shadows of the other gasbags. Mundungus and Ron were sent off to see about repairs to the ship (with strict instructions not to agree to anything without Remus’s permission) while the rest of the crew set about disguising the _Wolf_ as an honest merchant ship by the name of the _Black Dog_ (Sirius had picked the name; Remus had wanted to use the _Impecunious Werewolf_ but had been overruled as being to close to the original). Remus, Sirius and Kingsley went to investigate alternative transport from the city, Snape in tow.

Under Kingsley’s guidance they found themselves winding through alleys and side streets until they stood outside a townhouse.

‘He used to be a Peeler,’ Kingsley explained, ‘but the Empire didn’t sit too well with him. Decided he would rather retire than do the Emperor’s dirty work. Runs his own airship out of the port and does some amateur thief-taking on the side.’ He chuckled. ‘He’s very suspicious of everything these days but I think that’s probably in our favour this time.’

‘Wait a minute,’ said Sirius suddenly, ‘you don’t mean Mad Old Moody, do you? The man’s said to be a completely paranoid b…’

‘Can I help you at all?’ A voice abruptly boomed from the doorway.

Kingsley bent to address the speaking tube beside the door. ‘Hallo, Alastor. It’s Kingsley – remember, we helped each other out with that mess in the Brecon Beacons. My companions and I would greatly appreciate your assistance.’

‘Shacklebolt … that affair with the rogue Welsh druids.’ There was a long pause, followed by a click of the door. ‘Come in then. Straight up the stairs; I’m on the second floor. Don’t touch anything.’

They followed his instructions, Kingsley informing them with a mutter that Moody was very fond of creating his own security systems. The man himself eyed them all suspiciously as they trooped into his room, fixing Snape especially with a vicious glare.

‘You didn’t say you were with the Empire these days, Shacklebolt,’ he barked. ‘This man’s one of their worst!’

‘And a pleasure it is to see you again too, Moody,’ Snape said acidly, not even looking at the man. He glanced round the room, which was clearly where Moody worked on his security creations. Mechanical devices, mostly half-finished, strewed every surface and most of the floor. He poked through some of the heaps.

‘He’s on our side,’ Kingsley said.

There was a snort from across the room. ‘Apparently.’

‘Sirius!’ Remus shot his first mate a sharp look before turning back to Moody to explain. ‘He knows Lord Albus.’

‘Is that so?’ Moody shuffled closer to the professor. ‘Then tell me, what does the scar on his left knee resemble?’

Snape smirked. ‘Nothing, yet. But he says it’s what the Metropolitan Railway will become – once he gets back in power, of course. He has a vision of a great underground railway linking all of London, all inspired by that scar.’

Moody nodded reluctantly. ‘That’s accurate. But I don’t see how Albus could have approved of those metal monsters you created to take the place of honest bobbies.’

‘All part of the plan.’

‘That’s a very long term plan.’

Snape inclined his head. ‘I’m sure you would appreciate the folly of going off half-cocked when taking on an organisation of such magnitude. No use charging in on a whim and, for example, randomly kidnapping someone in the hope that it might do some good.’ He favoured Remus with a sidelong glance.

Remus pulled a face. ‘Point taken, professor. Mr Moody, we have a pressing need to hurry south and I understand you own an airship that can get us there.’

‘I do, but she’s half in storage at the moment. It’ll take at least a couple of hours to get her airborne, but she’ll do the journey in about three hours. Train’ll only take about four.’

‘We can’t take the whole crew on the train,’ Sirius argued, ‘we’d be spotted a mile off. Not to mention the cost.’

‘Five hours is too long,’ said Snape, the gold pocket watch gleaming in his hand. ‘The train’s our only option.’

Sirius scoffed. ‘Is one hour really going to make that much difference?’

Snape scowled at him. ‘Timing is absolutely essential. If everything doesn’t all happen exactly as planned then the plan will not work.’

‘Then it isn’t a very good plan, is it?’

‘I’d like to see how you would try to bring down an Empire with one blow!’

‘Then we’ll split up,’ Remus interrupted calmly. ‘Professor, you and I will take the train. Sirius, you’re in charge of bringing everyone else. Mr Moody, if we may beg the loan of your ship?’

A grin crossed Moody’s scarred old face. ‘The _Constant Vigilance_ is at your service, captain. Have no fear, my Connie’ll get your boys there!’

:::

The great iron and glass roof of New Street station arched magnificently above the two men as they hurried onto the train. Disguised under hats and mufflers (there was a stiff breeze blowing and they were far from the only ones wrapped against it in that draughty station) they were fairly certain that they had escaped any possible pursuit. The porters were slamming the carriage doors as they slipped into an empty compartment and by the time they were seated the stationmaster’s whistle was giving the train permission to leave the station.

Remus leant back comfortably, crossing his legs and tossing his hat and muffler onto the seat beside him. Snape folded his carefully, tucking the muffler into the hat and sitting stiffly on the plush seat.

‘Moody seems like a queer fish,’ Remus said conversationally, ‘still, I think the rest of the crew will be in good hands.’

‘He was a good policeman,’ said Snape, ‘though I’m hardly surprised he resigned. He is a man of principles and his principles are not those to which the Empire adheres.’

‘What, he disapproved of the Empire’s methods of interrogation and suchlike?’

Snape snorted. ‘Moody’s always been in favour of the harsher punishments. No, he rather takes against, shall we say, the partiality of the Emperor’s judgements. He also highly disapproved of the Emperor’s methods of keeping the population under his authority.’ He steepled his hands, dropping into what Remus could only think of as the tone that would be used to lecture a class.

‘The Emperor controls through fear. It’s how he keeps people off the streets at night, by making them terrified of the various bogey-men and chimera that apparently roam the streets. Creatures, by the way, that he created himself. He sends one of us out to play the part, the penny dreadfuls take up the stories and the population goes mad with fear over them.’

Remus was fascinated. ‘What, like Sweeney Todd? The Gorbals vampire with his iron teeth? Spring-Heeled Jack?’

‘Quite. In fact, the last one was played by none other than myself.’ Snape looked somehow pleased with himself. ‘I built a most fantastic pair of boots for that. Cunning arrangement of pistons and springs, almost ripped my legs off first time I tried them out. Got them right eventually and before you knew it there was another monster lurking the streets of London. I leapt around London, terrified a few people and hopped off again.’

‘What about Jack the Ripper?’

Snape shuddered. ‘God’s truth, no. I’m not an utter psychopath. That was B– oh, it’s the guard.’

The railway guard knocked at the door and entered to check their tickets, punching neat little holes in each. Once the guard had left Snape seemed to relax, unbuttoning his coat and pulling it off his long arms. He draped it across his lap, forming a rudimentary surface onto which he dumped a pile of miscellaneous mechanical objects. An inside pocket of his waistcoat proved to contain a set of screwdrivers and with these he set to work dismantling the devices.

Remus gave him a puzzled glance. ‘Where did you get those?’

Snape smirked at the pocket watch he was prying the back from. ‘Filched them from Moody.’

‘Casual theft is _de rigueur_ in the Empire now?’

‘This coming from a pirate with a history of kidnapping.’

Remus laughed out loud. ‘ _Touché_ ,’ he muttered, settling back to watch the professor at work.

Slim fingers nimbly pulled apart cogs and springs, setting them in orderly piles across his coat. Clicks and metallic twangs were the only protests from the devices as they were steadily disassembled. Tiny screws rolled into the dip at the centre of Snape’s lap, a gleaming trail between his coat-covered thighs.

‘No matter how hard you stare,’ the professor’s voice cut through the quiet, ‘you won’t see through.’

Remus flushed, realising how the direction of his gaze could be interpreted. ‘You are rather obsessed with this idea, aren’t you?’

‘You’re the pirate,’ Snape answered, seeming just as embarrassed, ‘everyone knows your kind of intentions.’

Remus sighed. ‘And what have I done to even hint that I have those “intentions”?’ He paused but no reply was forthcoming. ‘Very well. I will not deny that I am, shall I say, interested – and that is not, might I add, an interest I have in every pair of trousers I see – but I will do nothing regarding that unless you wish it.’

Snape’s fingers had frozen in his lap, curled around the delicate wires he was involved in straightening out. He said nothing to Remus’s words, face hidden behind his hair as he slowly moved his fingers back to his task. Remus let out a soft huff of air kicked off his boots and lay down along the seat. His intension was to doze but found himself instead slyly watching his silent companion from half-closed eyes.

Snape, if he noticed the captain’s gaze on him, still held his tongue.

It was some time later, and much closer to their goal, that they spoke further. Remus must have fallen asleep at some point as he woke to find Snape gently shaking his shoulder.

‘We are not so far away now,’ he said, moving back to his seat as soon as he realised Remus was awake. ‘We need to be sure that we are prepared.’ He held out a battered-looking pocket watch, sliding the chain through his hand until the object rested in Remus’s palm.

Remus flicked it open, finding no clock face inside but instead a tightly-woven mesh. ‘What is it?’

‘A radio receiver.’ Snape looked smug. ‘We will not, obviously, be able to enter the palace together. If you are intending to help – and I admit, having a back-up in case something goes wrong would be beneficial – you will need to be aware of events as they transpire. Through that you will be able to hear everything from this transmitter here.’ He pulled a small cameo necklace from his shirt where it hung alongside Lord Albus’s watch.

Remus had to marvel at Snape’s work. Tiny and detailed, he had disguised the objects’ true purpose with perfect cunning. ‘Wire-less technology? Colour me impressed!’ He fiddled with the device for a few moments, flicking it open and closed. ‘How are we to enter the palace then?’ he asked, drawing his attention from the watch he held.

‘I will enter through the front door,’ said Snape. ‘For you there is a secret entrance to the palace that few know of – a secret passage which brings one out into the cellars. It will be dark and damp, there will most likely be all manner of foul creatures such as spiders and rats, but they make a good deterrent in case anyone is foolish enough to risk painful death at the hands of the Imperial guards.’

Remus grinned. ‘Sounds like marvellous fun. I always did enjoy tales of adventure when I was a boy.’

Snape scowled at him. ‘This is no fictional tunnel for idealised youths to stumble down willy-nilly. It will be gloomy and there will be spiders and all manner of invertebrates. Men have had nightmares from less awful places.’

He sighed, seeing that Remus had no intention of dampening his enthusiasm He leant back on the seat and propped his long legs up on the opposite seat beside the other man.

‘And I must think of a valid excuse for how I escaped the dastardly pirates. It would have made so much more sense to have let the Imperial ships take me back, thinking on it now,’ he said, a frown creasing his forehead.

Remus glanced at him. ‘But they would have killed the rest of us.’

Snape looked like he was struggling with a conundrum. ‘I don’t see why that should matter to me.’

‘I rather hope it does!’

‘I …’ Snape paused, ‘yes. It does. I don’t know why, but it does.’

He dropped back into silence, staring out of the window at the countryside rushing by. Remus watched him with some confusion.

‘The plan is what is important,’ Snape said a few moments later, ‘everything I’ve done, it’s all for that. A little death here and there – it’s not important in the grand scheme of things. But for some reason I can’t quite fathom, I didn’t want you to die.’

‘Just me?’

Snape flushed, ducking his head to hide behind his hair and refusing to answer. The train began to slow, entering the station.

:::

As it turned out Snape’s prediction turned out to be accurate; it was dark, damp and there were indeed spiders. Remus, though, hearing the waves booming behind him and with the scent of the sea in his nostrils strode happily up the tunnel with an out-of-tune sea shanty on his lips. He felt like quite the smuggler despite having no contraband on him. His mood didn’t even falter when he walked face-first into a large spider’s-web or when he ended up ankle-deep in a very stagnant puddle. He supposed smugglers just had to put up with these things.

His lantern gleamed in the eyes of occasional creatures lurking in the gloom, some of them real and some Snape’s creations set as tunnel guards. Secreted as they were among the rough earth walls and skittering up the blind alleys which haphazardly branched off at the sides, Remus had difficulty distinguishing between the actual animals and the mechanical mimics. One, a clicking metal bat, dived at his face and he flinched instinctively, his foot slipping on the damp ground. He landed uncomfortably against the tunnel wall, cheek squishing into the dirt.

He swore mildly as he pushed himself up. ‘So perhaps tunnels aren’t entirely fun and games,’ he muttered. ‘Still, I bet Sirius will be impressed.’ He grinned, remembering that term at school when Sirius had attempted to co-opt all the boys in their dorm into digging a tunnel into the tuck shop. It had failed due to an error in trajectory and the omission of taking into account the school’s foundations that had brought them out into matron’s office – and hadn’t they got quite the tongue-lashing from that escapade!

To Remus’s relief (surely even smugglers would have got bored of endless darkness after a while) the tunnel came to an end soon after, rising smoothly to emerge behind an ornamental statue with rather more arms than Remus thought strictly necessary. Pausing to wipe his boots off (someone – Remus wondered if it had been Snape - had actually placed a doormat at the end of the tunnel), Remus checked for anyone else wandering around before hurrying down the corridor. From Snape’s instructions he was somewhere near the wine cellars and would have to go up at least a couple of levels before he could find the workroom.

He raised the modified pocket watch to his ear, flipping it open. As Snape had advised the sound was crackly and distorted but Remus could still hear voices.

‘…quite surprised to see you back, Professor,’ a gruff voice was saying, so faintly that Remus had to strain to hear it.

‘I am hurt you have so little faith in me,’ came Snape’s voice, somewhat clearer.

Remus found the servants’ stairs and took them two at a time, intent on both his destination and the conversation he was listening to. The distortion grew less as he drew closer to the source of the sound and he could hear both men distinctly.

‘You escaped then?’

‘Of course I escaped, Dolohov. What do you think I am, some kind of imbecile?’

Snape’s cutting tone came across perfectly, even through the tiny metal speaker and Remus had to suppress a chuckle. Reaching the ground floor, he quickly checked the hand-drawn map Snape had given him before heading left.

‘You managed to escape on your own despite the fact that the entire crews of two of our ships failed?’

A delicate sniff came through the speaker. ‘It isn’t my fault that your airships are crewed by incompetents.’

‘Oh, they aren’t all incompetent.’

Remus’s heart thumped at the danger in that tone, suddenly worried that this wouldn’t all go their way.

‘Nor are they blind, professor,’ the man named Dolohov continued, his voice become louder as he apparently moved closer to Snape. ‘You were seen, you smug bastard, helping those bloody pirates.’

There was a pause. ‘Well, there’s no call for language like that.’

Remus cursed silently, racing down the thankfully-empty corridor. He reached a wall and was brought up short, not expecting it. He blinked at the map frantically, realising with frustration that he had been holding it upside-down.

There was a sharp sound, flesh meeting flesh.

‘Shut up, Snape. We’re to take you to the cells – Emperor’s orders. Boys, take him away.’

 

Remus ran down what seemed to be endless corridors, dodging left and right and ducking out of the way of the few other people wandering around, eventually skidding breathlessly to a halt outside Snape’s workroom. The door was open and the lamps lit, casting a soft glow on the polished wooden floor but as he peered inside Remus’s heart stopped.

It was empty, just as he’d feared. Everything they needed to set the plan in motion was inside but Snape himself was gone.

‘Damn and blast it,’ Remus hissed, pulling out his map to locate the cells.

 

The palace cells were to be found back on the same level that Remus had entered on, the ideal temperature for both wine and prisoners being presumably the same. Remus took the servants’ stairs again, hiding briefly behind a statue in a niche when the butler came trotting up clutching three bottles in his arms. The cells themselves were unattended but for an easily dispatched guard at the top of the steps leading the row of barred doors.

Remus soon located Snape in the only occupied cell. The professor leant against the wall, fingers clutching nervously at the front of his waistcoat. He saw Remus and instantly relaxed, arms folding across his chest.

Remus bent to examine the lock, cursing under his breath when he found it to be solid and not easily overcome. ‘Zounds! How am I supposed to get you out of here?’

‘Don’t worry about that,’ Snape said quietly, face shadowed in the dark cell. ‘There’s no time. You need to set everything in motion now; Dolohov turned up before I had the chance. Set the countdown going and get yourself out of here before the rest of us die.’

‘What?’ Remus snapped upright, staring at the professor. ‘You can’t be intending … you’re not going to die too!’

‘My apologies, Captain Lupin, but I was never intended to survive this. I have done,’ Snape took a deep breath, ‘awful things to gain my position at the Emperor’s side; things that cannot, should not be forgiven.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous! I’m getting you out of here.’

‘No, don’t _you_ be ridiculous!’ Snape hissed, suddenly close to the bars. ‘You’re wasting time – you’re going to have to be the one to make this plan work now. Here!’ He pulled the pocket watch from around his neck and shoved it into Remus’s hands. ‘Go to my workroom; everything you need is in there. Activate it when all the hands on the watch fall in line, which should be in about ten minutes time.’

‘But…’

‘But nothing, Remus! Now hurry; they’ll be coming to take me to the Emperor any minute and they can’t see you!’

Remus pressed Snape’s hands briefly between his own before dashing away down the corridor.

:::

Snape remained leaning against the bars, closing his eyes as Remus disappeared from sight. To his horror, the beginnings of tears began to press against his eyelids.

‘No, damn it,’ he muttered to himself, ‘I accepted my death a long time ago. Some fancy captain taking a passing interest in me changes nothing!’

‘Why, Severus,’ a voice interrupted his thoughts, ‘you look positively downcast, old bean. Pondering the fate of a traitor?’

‘Lucius,’ Snape said cordially, ‘we really don’t see enough of each other these days. We simply must catch up.’

The cell door was opened, admitting Malfoy and two of the palace guards. Snape turned to face them, standing straight-backed and refusing to let any anxiety show. His palms were sweating but he held them rigidly by his side, not betraying his sudden nerves with any fidgety movements. It was only his death he was facing, after all, nothing unexpected.

‘I fear we will never have the chance, old friend,’ Lucius said. ‘The Emperor is most displeased and he wishes to see you now.’ He gave Snape a mournful look. ‘Severus, we’ve known each other such a long time. I trusted you.’

‘Really, Lucius? I’ve never trusted you as far as I could throw you.’

One of the guards came forward with chains. Snape raised an eyebrow.

‘Manacles? How kind.’ He held out his hands resignedly, straight out in front with wrists limp and fingers hanging down. ‘Honestly, with the amount of time I’ve spent in these recently anyone would think I enjoyed it.’

 

The entire Imperial court, it seemed, had gathered in the Imperial throne room to see Professor Snape brought in in chains. The cream of British society twittered and fluttered as he was walked in between the two guards, his head held high. He was brought to a halt before the grand gilt throne, before the cold and unremitting gaze of Emperor Riddle.

‘The gravest accusations have been placed against you, Severus,’ the Emperor intoned. ‘What have you to say to that?’

Snape bowed his head briefly. ‘I would request that, as we are all gentlemen here, these chains be removed,’ he raised his hands in front of his chest, ‘so we may discuss this matter with civility. And secondly, I would like to know the identity of my accuser and the nature of these accusations.’

Sniggers sounded in the throne room at his first request but the Emperor gestured for Malfoy to remove the manacles. Snape favoured Malfoy with a smirk as the heavy metal was unclasped from his wrists.

‘Captain Yaxley,’ Emperor Riddle said, ‘please step forward and advise the professor of what you informed me.’

Yaxley, a tall broad-shouldered man, slid from the crowd of courtiers. He was dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Air Guard, though his outfit was soiled and in a state of disrepair quite unfitting for the Imperial Court.

‘I was captaining the _Green Flame_ in pursuit of those who had kidnapped Professor Snape,’ he said, delivering his report in the clipped tone of the military man, ‘alongside us was the _Walpurgis_ , under Captain Nott. We caught up to the pirate ship, named the _Gay Wolf_ , shortly after passing the city of Warwick at which time we proceeded to take the appropriate action.’

‘Which was to shoot seven bells out of your target,’ Snape commented, ‘regardless of the suitability of that play.’

Yaxley ignored him in favour of continuing his recital. ‘We had the pirates almost subdued when Professor Snape was seen on deck with some of the crew. He was clearly explaining something to them and indicating our ships. The captain and his men went below decks and not long after our cannons were taken out with perfect accuracy. This accuracy would not have been possible without expert knowledge of our system. It is clear that Professor Snape gave these vagabonds this knowledge with the intention of them making a strike against your forces, my Lord.’

The Emperor leaned back on his throne. ‘What have you to say to Captain Yaxley regarding this, professor?’

‘I’m afraid you were being rather indiscriminate in your shooting,’ Snape said, eyeing the man coolly, ‘and I prefer my head to be attached to my shoulders, and my shoulders to the rest of me.’

‘There was no call for telling them how to disable our weapons.’

‘They were hardly going to allow me to talk civilly to you and negotiate my release – they’re quite the rough bunch, I assure you.’ Snape paused and examined his wrists pointedly for a moment. ‘I merely informed them how to stop you shooting at us to prevent myself being caught in the crossfire. It is hardly my fault if they were so incensed by your earlier barrages that they chose to take a little revenge.’

The Emperor chuckled dryly. ‘You always have had a silver tongue, professor.’

‘A tongue full of lies,’ Yaxley spat. ‘You seemed quite chummy with those pirates, Snape.’

‘Believe me, I was no friend of that gang of reprobates.’ Snape smirked at the captain, who glowered in return. A faint clicking came to the professor’s ears but only because he was listening for it. Good – Remus was doing what he had told him to. Now it was just a matter of waiting … and keeping Riddle and his court right where they were for a little while longer.

‘Ah, Severus,’ the Emperor said, ‘you would be most convincing – were it not for the fact that you were also seen leaving the train station in the company of the captain of that particular gang.’

Luckily, it seemed that Riddle was inclined to keep talking.

‘Falling in with pirates? Such recklessness little becomes you. What, precisely, do you intend with this little play?’

Any minute now … it was time to move the drama up a few notches. He always did like to make a scene.

‘I intend,’ Snape said, folding his hands together before him, ‘to ensure that each and every one of you here tonight dies – and with you, the Empire.’

There was laughter around the throne room. Emperor Riddle looked amused, petting Nagini’s silver scales as she rested on his knee.

‘Even supposing you succeeded - this serpent has many heads, Severus. You know that.’

Snape smiled nastily. ‘I am perfectly aware. That side of things is all being taken care of as well. While everyone here burns – and believe me, nothing will give me more pleasure – while you burn, every Imperial bastard out there will suddenly find himself with a pursuer who can’t be killed, doesn’t need to stop to sleep or eat and certainly won’t obey his orders.’

Clicks and thumps could suddenly be heard throughout the palace. Bars slammed into place across the windows in the throne room, causing the glass to rattle in its frames. There was a rush of people to the external door, only for them to find it was as solidly immovable as the wall it was set in.

‘Complete lockdown,’ Snape said with absolute calm even as panic erupted around him. ‘I designed the locks and securities on this palace to your specifications, _my lord_ : “Nothing can be permitted in.” It follows, naturally, that nothing can escape either. Nobody is getting out now.’

Emperor Riddle stayed on his throne, ignoring his panicking courtiers and regarding Snape evenly. Nagini slid from his knee, undulating across the marble floor. ‘Including yourself, professor. You’ll die too.’

‘Do you honestly think I care?’ Snape kept his face impassive even as the lie tasted bitter on his tongue.

The room shook as several explosions detonated deep inside the palace. Courtiers screamed, scattering as they fought to find an escape route. Many had already abandoned the throne room only to find themselves trapped by flames and smoke. The palace, already warm that temperate night, quickly became an unbearable oven of scorching heat. Beautiful wallpapers, delicate mouldings and elegant furniture; all of it became kindling for the huge pyre which would burn the Empire.

‘I would have let you live, you know,’ said the Emperor, a thin sheen of sweat covering his forehead but his eyes still ice-cool, ‘after a fashion. There is always a price for betrayal but I would have hated to waste that mind.’ He leaned back casually, brushing his hand along the arm of his throne. There was an audible click but nothing happened.

Nagini, cunning as any of her fleshy kin and knowing which side the cards fell, had reached Snape’s boots and began curling up his leg.

The professor’s smile grew wider and nastier as he lifted the mechanical snake to his shoulders. ‘I took the liberty of disabling your personal escape route as well.’

The Emperor lost his calm, fury twisting his face and a strangled yell escaping his throat. He lunged out of his throne at Snape, only to crumple to the floor clutching at his leg. Snape blinked in surprise, gaping at the blood suddenly pouring from the man.

‘Severus! Over here!’

Snape tore his gaze from the twitching Emperor only to be shocked to see Remus hurrying across the room, revolver in his hand with smoke still curling from its barrel.

‘What the dickens are you still doing in the palace?’ he snapped. ‘You were supposed to be far away from here by now!’

‘I wasn’t going to leave you behind,’ Remus panted, coming up beside Snape and grabbing his hand.

‘How very chivalrous of you. However, this doesn’t change the fact that _you’re going to die_. Surely your new world order would be better off if you were still alive?’

Remus pulled Severus closer, abruptly swinging the man up into his arms. Snape yelped in a most undignified fashion, arms hurriedly looping round Remus’s shoulders for fear of being dropped. Nagini wrapped tighter about his neck, blissfully cool as the flames’ heat grew more intense.

‘I happen to think that the new world order, as you put it, would be far improved with the addition of you.’

‘What a shame it is that no one here will survive to take note of your last words for posterity.’ Snape half-heartedly kicked his legs. ‘Now put me down!’

‘Not a bit of it,’ Remus said. ‘Hold on tight, will you? I overrode the lockdown command on one window. None of the others will have a hope in hell of getting through it so don’t worry about that.’

Snape followed Remus’s gaze upward to where a round window glowed with moonlight. True to Remus’s word, no bars blocked it.

‘The rose window? But that’s practically the highest window in the palace! And unless you’ve suddenly discovered the power of unaided flight…’

Remus grinned. ‘Not quite. I found a quite splendid pair of boots in your workroom. I had a go in them on the way here so I think I know how to work them.’

Snape twisted to look down and groaned. ‘Not the Spring-heels. I swear those things are the most temperamental thing I’ve ever made. If you don’t get a good run-up you just won’t get the height.’

‘We’ve got the length of the throne room.’

‘That might work if it was just one person, but carrying another?’ Snape pressed his face into Remus’s shoulder. ‘Not a chance. I appreciate your noble intentions, Remus, but you’ll have to escape without me. Go on, go and join your friends and your new world order and let me die with the rest of my compatriots. I … It was enough that you tried.’

‘Poppycock,’ said Remus, squeezing Snape tighter. ‘You don’t weigh that much, and I’ve probably got stronger legs than you. Don’t think I’m leaving you behind now.’

‘But -!’

Snape’s protest was lost as Remus began to run. He tucked himself against the captain as best he could, eyes screwed shut as each footfall thrummed through their bodies. Every sound was suddenly intensified: fire crackled and roared as it devoured the opulent palace, Nagini clicked against his skin as she shifted, and Remus’s heart thumped inside the strong chest Snape was pressed against. The captain’s steps grew wider and wider apart as the boots took them higher and higher until finally Remus pushed off with both feet - and leapt. There was an agonising moment of silence – save for the boots’ jets firing - as they rose, Snape expecting their fall to start any second and convinced that it would be too soon, that they would break against the wall. He was wrong, and never more grateful to be so.

Glass exploded around them, flying outward in all directions as they smashed the window at the pinnacle of their arc. Their stomachs lurched as their descent began and they landed with a juddering thud among the gardens, springing back up into the air immediately afterwards.

‘I love these boots!’ Remus yelled, as he carried them further from the burning palace.

Snape didn’t respond, his white-knuckled grip on Remus’s coat not loosening in the slightest.

‘The ship’s just here,’ Remus continued, ‘I think she’s low enough that I can probably leap right on board.’

‘What?’

Snape began to protest but was cut off as Remus took another huge leap. He let go of Snape with one hand in midair, reaching out instead to grab a rope trailing from the rigging of the _Constant Vigilance_. They swung around the ship in a long, graceful arc, silent but for the whistling wind and their own heightened breathing, before finally landing in a sprawled and panting heap on the deck.

‘We are never,’ said Snape, after some moments had passed, ‘doing that again.’ He unclenched his hands with some difficulty, flexing movement back into his fingers.

Remus laughed, sitting up and pulling Snape with him. ‘What, the thing with the boots or the heroic rescue mission?’

‘The boots,’ Snape said decisively. ‘The heroic rescue mission,’ his eyes grew momentarily soft, ‘I can just about allow.’ He took a deep inward breath and, before he could lose his nerve, pressed a quick kiss to Remus’s lips. ‘Thank you.’

They suddenly became aware of a lot of faces staring at them. The crew of the _Gay Wolf_ were, to a man, open-mouthed in utter surprise.

‘Bloody hell,’ said Ron eventually.

Epilogue (In Which A Phoenix Rose From the Ashes)

 

The miscreants’ boat was a fast little cutter, but no match for the _Gay Wolf_ and her well-trained crew. The _Wolf_ ’s sails were full with a most favourable wind as she flew after the _Wizard Wheeze_ , whose tiny crew seemed to have found their hands full this time. Trails of smoke wound from crates on their deck; evidence that their latest jape (involving Lord Albus’s latest garden party for elderly veterans and some exceptionally innovative fireworks) had been interrupted before it could reach fruition. Flashes and bangs occasionally shot from the crates.

Captain Remus Lupin, now Commander of Prime Minister Lord Albus’s Airborne Police Force (known to wide-eyed urchins on the street and the tatty magazines they adored as the Flying Squad), watched from the prow of the _Gay Wolf_ beside his Scientific Advisor. Professor Severus Snape, one hand resting just beside Remus’s on the rail, ran a finger lightly across the scales of the mechanical snake who curled herself around his neck.

‘I fear their incendiaries may prove their ultimate undoing if we allow this to continue much longer, captain’ he said eventually.

Remus shifted his hand a little closer, resting it on his companion’s. ‘And what would you suggest, professor?’

‘An opportunity to test my new water cannon? I believe I have isolated the problem which caused us so much difficulty last time.’

‘The problem that nearly lost us young Finnegan over the side a mile above Suffolk?’

‘Yes.’ Snape glanced sideways at Remus. ‘I believe the problem was, in fact, Finnegan.’

‘Do we have enough water in the tank?’

‘Enough for a short, sharp shock, I would estimate.’

Remus turned to smile at Snape. ‘Then I say that in the interests of furthering your work on this magnificent device we should run a test right now. Have Kingsley bring it up.’

Snape smirked. ‘He is already doing so.’

True to the professor’s word, Kingsley appeared moments later with a small train of the crew carrying various parts of the mechanism. The water cannon – currently nicknamed ‘Devil’s Spit’ by the crew, though this was subject to change according to whim and the politeness of company – was a project Snape was working on for Lord Albus, who was planning on equipping his Fire Brigade with them as soon as possible (after all, it was such a terrible thing that happened to the Imperial Palace – quite dreadful that no powerful enough device existed to put out such fearsome flames). Snape was soon in amongst the crew setting it up, fastening bits together with the screwdrivers he constantly carried about with him. Soon the nozzle pointed directly at the small ship they pursued and the pumps creaked.

‘Let them have it,’ Remus said, seeing that they were ready.

Snape nodded to Kingsley and stood back as the big man hauled the lever that operated the device. A great spurt of water shot from the nozzle and landed, perfectly aimed, in a great splash across the _Wizard Wheeze_ ’s deck. The two fugitives were knocked from their feet to wash up against the rail at the front of the ship. The smoking crates, which had been getting more violent in their output and shuddering their was across the deck, were thankfully doused. All fight gone from them, the two young men were soon pulled shivering and drenched on the _Gay Wolf_ and the _Wizard Wheeze_ tethered beside the larger ship. Once they were on board, however, it was one of Remus’s crew who got the biggest shock.

‘Bloody hell,’ said Ron. ‘Fred? George?’

‘You know these two?’ Remus asked.

Ron flushed, looking down at the deck. ‘They’re my brothers,’ he muttered.

Remus folded his arms, noting the identical red hair on each of the three heads. ‘And how did two boys from such a decent family – yes, I do know your mother and will be speaking to her – end up such mischief-makers?’

‘We were bored,’ admitted one twin, looking a little sheepish.

‘And we wanted to test out our latest whizz-bangs,’ the other added, wringing water from his shirt.

‘I must confess an interest in the make-up of your fireworks,’ said Snape. ‘They seem most inventive.’ He glanced at Remus slyly from the corner of his eyes.

Remus smiled. ‘Ever considered a career in law enforcement, boys?’

The End.


End file.
